THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking suomotu cognizance of news reports, the Kerala State Human Rights Commission has intervened in a case of alleged severe medical negligence at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in Thiruvananthapuram. The case pertains to a nine-month-old infant diagnosed with leukemia who is currently on life support in a critical condition following alleged procedural lapses during treatment. The Commission has directed authorities to constitute an expert medical panel to conduct a thorough inquiry and submit a detailed report to the Director of Medical Education (DME) within one month.
The infant was admitted to the RCC for chemotherapy after being diagnosed with leukemia. However, the parents alleged that extreme carelessness on the part of the nursing staff led to a drastic deterioration of the child’s condition. According to the complaint, the staff failed to follow proper unsterilized sanitation protocols while inserting a cannula, and subsequently conducted blood pressure checks on the same swollen arm, aggravating the injury. Emergency intervention by senior doctors was initiated only after the child’s father, Vishnu Vijayan, formally lodged a complaint with the RCC Director, alleging an undue delay of nine days in providing appropriate medical care.
Initial findings from the pathology report lend weight to the allegations of nursing negligence, indicating that blood clots formed within the vessels of the infant’s arm, damaging blood cells and triggering a systemic infection. Severe skin ulcerations have also developed on the child’s left arm. While an internal inquiry is currently underway, the RCC Director stated that medical experts are investigating whether the complication arose directly from the baseline leukemia condition or due to external factors.
For more details: Navamalayalam.com